


We set the wrong course

by magdalyna, orphan_account



Series: Cultverse [5]
Category: Bandom
Genre: Cults, Dubious Consent, Dubious Morality, Multi, cultverse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-03
Updated: 2013-11-03
Packaged: 2017-12-31 08:55:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 16,402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1029760
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magdalyna/pseuds/magdalyna, https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ryan wants to make Pete proud.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Innocence was the Key

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of cultverse, where Pete, Gabe and Gerard are cult leaders fighting each other. 
> 
> Co-authored with lj user joker_and_thief and influence from lucentvictrola.

Sex with Pete Wentz is always a mind-blowing experience.

Even for Ryan Ross, after all this time.

They like to change it up so it doesn’t grow stale. (Like sex between them could ever be so simple.) Pete sinks to his knees this time and Ryan grins down at him, legs splayed apart, hand in tortured-raven locks. Ryan can see the dark brown roots that Pete tries to hide. When Pete swallows, Ryan pulls him up, kissing and biting at his jaw. Pete easily flips him over, consuming him again. Filling him again. 

It’s later as they relax, basking in the lazy afterglow, that Ryan feels closest to Pete. Usually it’s the one time he feels like it’s just _them_ , no Patrick or William or Brendon or anyone else – just them. There’s easy, idle chatter – with no talk of the kids or the Message, because both people in the room understand it perfectly, have no problem with the respective roles they play. It’s simple, with them. 

Easy.

Lately though, Pete seems distracted. Quick to roll over and go to sleep or to grab a pen and start writing his next dictum for the masses. He’ll call Patrick in to talk melody or something, shattering the peaceful calm and easy camaraderie between them.

It’s during one of these times that Ryan decides to reveal his surprise, to grasp Pete’s attention once more. 

“I found some kids for you,” Ryan says, head pillowed atop the Bartskull.

“Mmm,” Pete replied absently, carding his fingers through Ryan’s hair with one hand as he types a message on his Sidekick with the other. Ryan flips over so he’s resting the other side of his face on Pete’s stomach, so he can meet his eyes. “They’re good. Brilliant musically, distinct sound,” he continues. Pete grunts. Ryan sits up, annoyed.

“They’re _ripe_ for the Message. You could make a killing,” he says, somewhat huffily. “They’ve got a gig tomorrow night, and I arranged to meet them after the show.” 

Pete looks up at him. “You _talked_ to them?” he asks sharply.

Ryan rolls his eyes. “Yes, _Dad_. I talked to them. But nothing about the Message or anything, I swear. Just told them we were interested in their sound.” 

Pete seems satisfied by this. “Don’t want to scare them off. The kids spook easily these days.”

“ _I_ didn’t,” Ryan points out.

Pete grins and slides down the bed, Sidekick forgotten. “But _you_ , Ross, were a very _special_ case,” he says, giving Ryan a gentle shove so he falls onto his back. His thighs part easily, but Pete keeps moving up his body, straddling his chest. “Just wouldn’t take no for an answer,” Pete traces one finger along Ryan’s jaw. “And you looked so pretty on your knees. It’s that beautiful blowjob mouth of yours…” 

*

Brendon doesn’t understand. 

He’s given everything to Ryan. He left his family, threw away college opportunities and said goodbye to an entire religion (that while ultimately false in the face of Pete and Ryan’s Truth, was the only way of life he’d ever known), had given himself and everything he ever had, ever owned, could ever be – all to Ryan.

It’s not that Ryan doesn’t deserve it, because, fuck, he _does_ , Ryan deserves anything and everything Brendon and Jon and Spencer can give him – and quite a bit more. Ryan is Brendon’s everything, is his Truth, his Salvation. Ryan has given him a purpose where previously he had none. He gives Brendon his words, entrusts Brendon to be his _Voice_ , to deliver the Message to the people like Patrick does for Pete, to save them.

What Brendon doesn’t understand is why the fuck the stupid Hush Sound (what a stupid name for a band) are so special anyway?

And, more importantly, why the fuck does Ryan _need_ them? He’s got everything he needs with Panic!, has Brendon as his Voice and Jon and Spencer to inspire him, to keep him grounded and protect him, supporting him. Why does he want Greta and Bob and Darren and Chris so damn _much_?

Brendon _knows_ he’s prettier than the little bass player Ryan goes on about, and what do The Hush Sound have that Panic! don’t?

 _Greta_ , his mind supplies helpfully.

Brendon thinks about this for a moment, then dismisses it. He’s prettier than her too, knows Ryan likes his voice better than Greta’s. He doesn’t have a rack like she does though, but when he thinks about it, hers isn’t anything special either. Ryan’s never been that keen on girls anyway.

Spencer tells him to quit being a bitch about it, that Ryan can go on about whoever he wants to go on about, he’s _Ryan_ , and Jon takes him off to have distractingly good sex.

When it’s over though, Brendon goes back to being pouty and whiny. He doesn’t _understand_ , damnit!

*

Greta has always defined herself through music.

She has vague memories of being very young, kneeling up on the seat of the piano bench to watch her grandmother play. They tell her she was three, but Greta herself can’t remember the exact details. She only remembers what was important.

The ivory keys seemed to call to her, and when she tapped them with a tiny fist they _sang_ to her, made beautiful noises – like a language that she could understand better than any words. From that day on she was hooked – she learnt her secret language, using it to create myths and legends and _worlds_ that no-one else could touch, that no-one else could understand. She was a princess locked in a tower, a valiant and brave heroine, an ancient goddess ruling over peoples long forgotten.

They called her a genius, a prodigy, and Greta smiled her secret little smile, because they didn’t know the half of it.

When Greta is in the seventh grade, she makes a boy fall in love with her for the first time.

She’s scared at first, because this boy is strange and creepy and in _junior year_. But Robert Morris – she’s the only one who can get away with calling him Robert, and does it often because in her head, in her worlds he’s always _Robert_ , never _Bob_ , because that is coarse and harsh – will sit for hours beside her just to hear her play.

He doesn’t understand, she knows, about her worlds and her myths and legends, but it’s okay because he likes it anyway. He can still see the beauty in it all. He will sit next to her with his guitar and write melodies around her stories. Robert still needs her help to make it all blend together, to be able to entwine his sounds with hers, but Greta doesn’t mind. Because Robert is loyal to her, will follow her anywhere. He thinks it is love. She thinks he is foolish, but smiles back at him all the same.

Her parents build her big dreams, castles in the air created with words like _prodigy_ and _professional_ , _classical_ and _pianist_ and _recital_ . Greta is angered by this, and the music reflects her stormy mood as she plays it out through ivory and hammers and strings. She’s going to define _herself_ , thankyou very much. Greta Schulpter will make the world see her brilliance with _her_ music, not someone else’s. _Her_ music will define her.

She and Robert weave together, playing first for just friends and parents, then for others – in basements and small indie venues, and she finds her other boys on the same night.

Chris is perfect for her. He glares at the world as if he’s got something to prove, plays his bass as if it’s some kind of offensive strategy. Greta learns later that he’s the youngest in a big musical family, so he really is trying to prove something. When he looks at her, Greta can see the spark in Chris’ eyes, the fire that says _‘I **will** be somebody. I **will** be special. I **will** prove them wrong.’ _

Darren is much the same yet completely different. He yearns to escape his mundane life and sees the drums as his ticket out of Chicago. Greta understands. Her music has always been about escapism; first only for herself, then for others too.

Together they are able to weave beautiful music, entwining melodies and beats and vibrations like vines. 

They’re perfect.

Until they meet Pete Wentz.

Greta dislikes Pete immediately – something about him makes her uneasy. Whether it’s his showy attitude or sloppy playing or blatantly manipulative lyrics, she isn’t sure.

Patrick is different. 

At first, Greta wonders how the two can possibly make music together, because Patrick seems the very antithesis of Pete. Pete, who backed off almost immediately, letting Patrick talk about music while Pete made soft noises about producing and record deals and signing them in the gaps Patrick left. Pete’s words grate on Greta’s eardrums, loud and harsh and too stark to fit with the soft, careful notes of her world.

But Patrick is all soft, earnest words and beautiful notes and a steady cadence of helpful suggestions and modest, charming smiles, and something inside Greta just _yearns_ for his approval. For him to believe in her.

He _can_ believe in her, he explains. What she has is beautiful and powerful, but he can make it _better_. 

And Greta suddenly wants that, more than she’s ever wanted anything in her life.

*

 _"I want you to work with them,"_ Pete says, and Patrick is surprised. Pete is speaking like he doesn’t want anything to do with them, like he’s entrusting them solely to Patrick – but just to _produce_. To shape and mould the _music_ , not The Hush Sound itself.

Patrick knows Pete better than anyone else, knows he’s only human, no matter what the kids think. Patrick knows he’s beginning to feel the strain, spread too thin between Fall Out Boy and Decaydance and Clandestine and his other million side projects.

It makes it easier, having William and Travis and Ryan spreading the Message now. Because Pete is like a virus: he passes from person to person, and they pass him on to other people, and it just keeps spreading. He just needs more people to help.

The realization leaves Patrick’s head spinning. If Patrick can do this, bring the Hush kids into the fold, indoctrinate them and help them see the light, it could help Pete. If Patrick can make them into something better, something bigger, something marketable, he can get _them_ to spread the Message, and that in turn might lighten Pete’s load, just a little.

And Patrick Stump would do anything for Pete.

*

Ryan was feeling especially pleased with himself. There was a certain air about him, a cocky ease in the way he held himself as he knocked on Pete’s LA door. The door opened easily and Pete gave him a winning smile. 

They’re just watching what randomly comes on TV when Pete makes the ‘offhand’ comment about Patrick producing The Hush Sound. About the present Patrick gave him in the form of The Hush newly converted. It may seem casual, but it’s really crystal clear. The Hush are Patrick’s. 

Ryan says little to Pete. He can barely focus on the mechanical, canned sound of the television. _He found them. They should be his._ Without him, Pete would have never found The Hush. He doesn’t know what to think. 

*

It takes Ryan three weeks to convince Patrick to let him play with the Hushies.

Three weeks and quite a bit of begging and pleading to Pete, reasoned explanations and diva tantrums and a lot of pester power.

Ryan doesn’t get the big deal about it, at first. Why can’t he play with them? It’s not like he’s going to go all Gabe on them and tie them up in his basement – Ryan doesn’t even _have_ a basement. He doesn't even have a _van_ , for fuck's sake, and you'd have to be incredibly foldable to try and convert someone in his two-seater Mercedes. And he’s not stupid enough to try and convert them _away_ from Pete – besides, their Message is pretty much the same anyway.

It’s when Patrick finally says yes – with conditions – that Ryan realises why Patrick has been so hesitant.

They don’t meet his eyes. They’re curled together, drawn close on the couch in the studio. They almost seem afraid. Ryan realises with a start that it’s because they don’t know what to expect. They’ve never done this before.

“There’s only three of them,” Ryan says, looking them over. 

“You don’t get Greta,” Patrick says, with a note of finality in his voice. “Ever.” 

Ryan clenches his teeth, but does his best to stay calm. “Fine,” he manages. 

“And you only get one,” Patrick says. 

Ryan’s eyes narrow. “Any other stipulations?”

“I watch.” Patrick’s voice is firm. “And I can take them away at any time.”

Ryan nods, once, then studies them carefully.

The blond he dismisses almost immediately. Too plain. The two brunettes, though, are … interesting. One is cowering between his bandmates, strong-jawed and handsome but seemingly weak. _Darren_ , Ryan’s mind supplies. The other is almost classically beautiful with the exception of a nose almost too big for his face. It’s offset by the spark of life in his eyes, the way he tilts his chin upwards ever-so-slightly in defiance.

Ryan grins, showing teeth. _Oh, he **likes** this one._ Dark hair and eyes … so very much like Brendon, but with a touch of fragile innocence Brendon lost long ago.

“That one,” he says, indicating the boy only with his eyes. “Chris, isn’t it?”

“Fine.” Patrick’s voice is low, quiet, and he whispers softly to them, watching with guarded eyes as the other two leave the room.

Only Chris remains, looking warily over to where Ryan sits on the opposite couch.

“Come here,” Ryan orders, voice low.

Chris hesitates and looks to Patrick.

“Ignore him,” Ryan snaps impatiently, ire raised when Patrick nods his assent and only then does the boy move. Chris unfolds himself from the couch and crosses the room to stand before Ryan, trembling slightly.

“Good boy,” Ryan says softly. “Now, on your knees.”

*

Ryan comes away from his first glimpse of Patrick’s kids irritated and unsatisfied. Well, he’s been _satisfied_ , at least physically, but he remains annoyed.

_And even when the boy was panting beneath him, legs tight around Ryan’s waist, head thrown back to reveal a graceful curve of neck, arching a smooth expanse of chest, it wasn’t Ryan’s name he uttered._

_“P-Patrick,” the boy whimpered, and came._

*

Patrick is more understated than Pete, no grand rituals, no tape or rope or small, dark rooms with deformed candles as the only light source. No hushed hisses of convoluted visions of a new world order. 

Not even any sex. 

Patrick knows he doesn’t need props. 

But all the same, every time they emerge with Patrick from that studio, it's obvious that their minds are spinning, obvious from the way Greta stares out the window and chews on a piece of her hair, the way Chris sits limply in the corner, eyes fixed on one page of a book for hours, how Darren slips on his headphones but doesn’t turn his iPod on, starring blankly at the walls, and how Bob fidgets, uneasily playing with loose bits of fabric on his sweaters. 

And every night, Pete tells Patrick how proud he is, how he's spreading the message so well, by producing The Hush, but there is so much left to do, so many lost children out there to save.

Patrick wonders what Pete will say when he finds out Patrick converted The Hush for him. 

*

Jon thinks that Ryan is crazy for wanting The Hush like he does. Its greed, pure and simple. 

But Jon knows obsession when he sees it. He knows when to speak up and when to hold his tongue. He will follow Ryan regardless, because he is their leader, more than a distracted Pete. He is loyal and dedicated. He will not fail them. It would be the same as failing himself. 

All the same, Ryan has the most _interesting_ expressions when he is thinking about The Hush. Jon can’t count the new photos he has of Ryan like that. He can see it when he closes his eyes. He can remember those expressions when he looks at the pictures again; feel the cool draft of air conditioning and faint smell of sage. 

He observes and catalogues. It’s what he does. 

He muses to himself how he wouldn’t mind having a photo collection of The Hush in his possession. He wouldn’t mind taking pictures of them moaning and beautiful and flushed. He wouldn’t mind being part of that contorting tableau. He thinks that maybe Chris and Darren would be the perfect subjects. 

Ryan may be obsessed but he has excellent taste. 

*

William Beckett is more than a little amused by the situation.

He doesn’t see what’s so special about The Hush Sound, really. So they’re young and pretty and loyal and devoted to Pete through Patrick. So what? Will has pretty little acolytes too, and some of them even make music. In comparison, the Hushies are certainly not special enough that Ryan should be this worked up about them.

William thinks that it’s more than likely all of them have inherited Pete’s paedophilic nature by osmosis when they received the Message. Because _hello_ , Patrick was only fifteen when he first received the Message in the back of Pete’s van. Will himself was sixteen the first time he was fucked by Pete Wentz, and his very own Sisky was only thirteen the first time Mike brought him home and tied him to Will’s bed. Pete always went for the young ones, went for the ones with starry eyes and broken hearts, the barely-teens who tried to cover innocence with eyeliner.

Ryan’s not that much older than Patrick’s kids himself, but still. Ryan always looked younger than he was - _well_ , Will amends, _until he received the Message and those wide brown eyes lost their doe-eyed innocence and gained a lazy, predatory glint._ It’s a glint that’s definitely present in Ryan’s eyes when he talks about Patrick’s kids. 

William admits that he’s a little intrigued by The Hush Sound, if only for the fact that they’ve got Ryan Ross so obsessed. The fact that they still look so innocent, so _fragile_ after a month in Patrick’s care doesn’t exactly hurt. William’s sure Ryan just wants to break them down, watch them come apart underneath him so he can rebuild them in his own image. It’s what Pete tried to do with them all – he _succeeded_ with Ryan, perhaps a little too well.

Because Pete never paid much attention to the rules, would never just give up in the pursuit of something, _someone_ he wanted. And if maybe he did his job a little too well with Ryan, left his mark a little too deep, William won’t be surprised. It’s the main reason William just raises one perfect eyebrow when he finds out Ryan’s been in contact with Gabe Saporta.

The shaky line drawn in the sand after the Gabe/Alicia fiasco has apparently been crossed. 

Apparently (according to Gabe, who was quite possibly drunk and/or high when he left Will the voicemail), Ryan Ross went _willingly_ to Gabe Saporta – to make a _deal._ A deal that Gabe, who’s just been looking for a reason to throw down against Pete since the whole Gerard debacle, couldn’t refuse. Ryan, Pete’s little protégé, his _golden_ boy, would turn against Pete if it got him the Hushies. He’d give Gabe the support he needed if it got him what he wanted in return.

William’s not sure whether that’s a bold, twisted kind of obsessed genius on Ryan’s part, or just plain stupid. Because while a part of him will always be entranced by Gabe’s Cobra, William’s also sane enough to realize that most of the time Gabe’s just completely batshit insane. Most of the time. 

But if Ryan’s gonna make a move, make a serious play, William will consider his options very carefully. He _is_ a part of the Cobra after all, and while he knows he’s probably not strong enough, not big enough to take on Pete all on his own, it could be possible with Gabe _and_ Ryan. And Travis.

 _Mmm. Travis._ William smirks and reaches for the phone.

*

Spencer has known enough of Ryan’s ideas to work out brilliantly in the end that he trusts Ryan’s instincts. He thought the whole Gerard thing was a bad idea too, at first, told Ryan so, but all that did in the end was make Ryan more stubborn. And that, Spencer knows, is an almost impossible feat, to make Ryan Ross _more_ stubborn.

That said, he has absolutely no idea _why_ Ryan is so obsessed with The Hush Sound, why he’s been fobbing Brendon off instead of giving him a proper answer. So he and Jon confer quietly, plan and plot and when Brendon starts to pout, Jon lures him away from Ryan, and Spencer is left to investigate.

He’s sitting quietly at the kitchen table when Ryan comes wandering in, probably wondering where Brendon and Jon are. Spencer carefully drums his fingers on the tabletop, tapping out a rhythm with careful and deliberate intent. He watches as Ryan tenses.

“What’s that?” Ryan asks, voice deceptively calm, facing away from Spencer.

Spencer shrugs, even though he knows Ryan can’t see it. “Something from one of the Hush Sound tracks Patrick sent over.” He doesn’t break rhythm. “They’re really good,” he adds, mentally counting down the seconds in his head. _Three_ – “The bass line -” _two_ , “just kind of hits you,” – _one_ \- “you know?”

Ryan turns, and if Spencer Smith were any less of a man he’d be almost frightened by the intensity in Ryan’s eyes. Ryan’s hauled him out of his chair and slammed him against the fridge door - and Spence knows the strength in Ryan’s deceptively fragile frame better than anyone – and it’s all Spencer can do to hold on.

Somewhere between the refrigerator and the floor Spencer loses his pants, but he doesn’t care, can’t do anything except arch into the perfect stretch and burn as Ryan twists two fingers inside him, and it’s just spit so it’s nowhere near enough for when Ryan enters him, but Spencer is beyond caring. He can’t remember it being this intense before, not in recent memory anyway, and when he scrapes his fingernails down Ryan’s back he realises he never stopped tapping out the beat. 

But Ryan doesn’t seem to mind – in fact, it’s almost like he’s _matching_ Spencer’s rhythm, and _oh God he **is**_ , he’s perfectly on beat, not a moment too soon as he thrusts inside Spencer, who arches up to meet him every time, and between them it’s perfect because Spencer’s too good a drummer to break rhythm once it’s been set.


	2. I was locked up never free

William Beckett will be the first to admit his timing may leave something to be desired.

In hindsight, it probably wasn’t the brightest idea to let slip that Ryan Ross had decided to betray Pete Wentz in the middle of incredibly hot sex with the aforementioned Wentz.

Because as William recalls it, the whole fiasco went something like this (for his part, anyway):

_Oh fuck, yes. Right **there** – did you know Ryan went to Gabe, oh yes there –_

“Why the fuck did you stop?”

William thrusts upward, trying to recreate that delicious friction.

“Explain,” Pete growls, and he’s angrier than William’s ever seen him.

William squirms under the gaze, very aware of the fact he’s still impaled by Pete’s cock. “Gabe told me Ryan went to see him. To talk about Patrick’s new kids. The Hushies.”

Pete pulls out and away, and William props himself up on his elbows. _“Pe-ete,”_ he whines, not even caring about how childish he sounds. 

But Pete is already off the bed, across the room and on his phone. From calm and sexing him to angry and sidekicking Andy in zero to sixty. Will thinks it’s some kind of achievement for Pete, who normally can’t turn away from awesome sex.

Will pouts, even though Pete can’t see it, and reaches down to stroke himself almost lazily.

“Hey, Andy. Don’t panic, but we have a little situation we have to fix. Tell Joe to go hang out with Patrick. I want to see the mountains this time of year. Yes, I know. We won’t be gone for long, so your illegal vegan cheese making won’t be ruined.” Pete says and William can hear Andy’s solid timbre weak sounding through the gadget. 

He rolls his eyes and the conversation quickly loses his attention as he works on bringing himself off. 

“C'mon, Pete, it's not like Ryan will overthrow you right the fuck _now_ , can't you lend a guy a hand here?” He whines and doesn’t even care that comes across like that. 

Pete’s hand whips out and covers his mouth lightening fast as he continues his conversation. 

“No, of course I’m paying attention to you Andy, stop your bitching.” Pete huffs. 

William almost misses it when Pete clicks off the Sidekick. Pete is shaking his head as he withdraws his hand from William’s mouth. 

“Fuck, Pete, I think a horny me would at least take some sort of _pre_ -” William's words caught in his throat as he twisted his hand on a particularly wonderful upstroke – “precedence over Ryan Ross going over to the Dark Side.” 

Pete glares at him, spitting “Some things are more important than your orgasms. Ryan needs to understand that he’s mine.” and starts getting dressed.

William comes. Pete stalks away. 

*

They take a rental car that Pete paid for in cold hard cash. 

Andy drives, all grim expression with thin, pursed lips. Pete alternates between fitfully napping and glowering at the flashing landscape. They drive from Pete's LA base to the inner mountains, passing big bright skies then blue-violet skies and rusty plateaus and pale cacti. The outside world gradually becomes greener, higher, colder 

Pete makes an attempt at humour, quipping that they probably drove across the spot that Gabe was tripping on when he saw the Cobra. 

Andy glances at him briefly at this and rolls his eyes. 

Finally: 

“Why are we even doing this? Pete, you know as well as anyone what a stubborn bastard Ryan is.” Andy states, eyes on the road like a responsible, law abiding citizen. Pete doesn’t answer him and that’s the last they speak of the reason why they’ve dropped everything to drive to some cabin in the woods at an unreasonable elevation to get a wayward follower of Pete’s. 

*

It’s early in the morning. The sun hasn’t even risen. Jon is blearily undertaking a doomed attempt at making coffee. There is a sharp knock at the door. 

Picture this: 

A flash of blackpurple haloing two obscured figures. Pine wood creaked open. The temperature drops. Or maybe it doesn’t. 

It happens like this:

Jon sees Pete and Andy at his door at 5 in the morning. 

“Hey Jon. I know it’s early, sorry about that. We just wanted to see Ryan before we take him. He’ll be out in LA with us for a while.” Pete chirps at him, all big, wide, full, expansive smiles and cheerfulness. 

Jon is uneasy right away, a coldness coiled around his viscera. 

He turns to see that the rest of his band has come down to see what all the fuss is about. Brendon looks confused then distressed. Spencer keeps looking between Pete and Jon and Ryan, fear clearly present in his groggy eyes. And Ryan. 

Ryan is unreadable, more so than ever. Then a fierce smile spreads across his face. It’s almost so brilliant it’s blinding. 

“Yeah, sure thing. Just let me go get dressed.” Ryan says, only to be shushed by Pete. Andy has stayed silent this whole time. 

But then: “No, you’re to come as you are.” He says, eyes flicking to Pete as he says this. 

Jon feels sick. 

Ryan nods quick and efficient than stalks past Pete and Andy through the door. Andy leads him away to a waiting, unfamiliar car. Pete’s thousand-watt smile has lessened. 

“Just keep working on the album. Everything will be fine. He’ll be back in a few days.” Pete says quickly, and leaves them faster. 

*

Ryan’s brain works in complex time; always has.

The 9/8 time allows him to race ahead - two triple beats and a duple beat weaving lyrics and planning melodies before he’s even had the chance to suggest something out loud.

It’s why he’s halfway to figuring out his betrayal the moment he sees Pete Wentz in their kitchen.

It’s obvious in the way Pete stands - every muscle, every line in his body tense and still. Pete is many things, but this controlled, this calm is never one of them. His expression is unscrutable, but Ryan can practically see him holding onto his fragile control, about to snap.

“Yeah, sure thing. Just let me go get dressed,” Ryan says, not surprised when Andy objects. Andy, who’s talking because Pete won’t look at him, Andy who hasn’t said a word except to speak on Pete’s behalf.

Spencer is looking at Ryan with fear in his groggy eyes. He’s not fully awake yet, Ryan knows, because it takes at least two cups of Jon!Coffee to get Spencer’s brain going in the mornings, and if Ryan could he would hug Spencer, hold him close and tell him about how it’s all going to be okay – _memories of his father, smelling of whiskey and waiting in the car outside Spencer’s house, honking his impatience and god, Ryan knows he’s in for it now_ – but instead he just smiles at them all, a smile more for Pete’s benefit because he knows it will irk Pete like nothing else. Because Spencer will still be scared and Brendon will still be upset and Jon will still be worried but they’ll stay and they’ll hold each other together and they’ll wait for his return, because that’s how he’s made them.

Ryan, still clad in the pinstriped pyjama pants and thin _‘Diamonds and Gold’_ shirt he threw on as they all climbed out of bed, reassures Brendon and smiles at them all before following Pete out.

When they reach the car – a scarily nondescript vehicle that’s nothing like the van Ryan was expecting – Ryan waits for an explosion, but Andy just opens the door behind the driver’s and waites for him to slide in. Pete sits in the passenger seat and they drive.

And drive.

And drive.

Ryan has approximately ten hours of time to think, sprawled lazily across the backseat as soon as he realises however fond Pete may be of conducting business in moving vehicles, he’s taking Ryan back to LA for a reason. In that time his brain has plotted out the inevitable course the news of his pact with Gabe took: Gabe, because for someone with that much power he can be incredibly careless, then someone further down the food chain – not likely Travis, because he’s not so much loyal to Pete as loyal to Pete through William –

William.

Ah.

Ryan will bet money – _and he never was a gambler ‘till after he left Vegas, isn’t that irony, he’d never gamble with petty chips before but now he’ll gamble with hearts and minds and souls_ – on the fact that William let that pretty little snippet of information slip.

Whether on purpose or not, he’s not quite sure, because Ryan knows William is still bitter about not being allowed to play with Brendon - _but surely William has more tact than that?_

However it occurred, Ryan decides he will have it out with William, eventually. He’d known the inevitable conflict with Pete would occur _sometime_ , he’d just have sooner it be on his terms.

No matter.

Ryan settles his head back against the seat and closes his eyes.

*

“At least let me explain,” Ryan begins.

“No.” Pete’s reply is short, and Ryan doesn’t struggle when Andy pushes him onto his back on the bed in one of Pete’s spare rooms, allowing himself to be tied up, pyjamas still on and limbs spread, four corners to the wind.

Then Pete leaves.

This, Ryan was not expecting. Because Pete is all about holding you down until you stop struggling, until you accept his Truth, and to be fair Ryan’s pretty tactile himself, always _holdingtouchingfuckingstroking_ someone.

The room gradually lightens, letting daylight in, by which time Ryan is kind of annoyed at being ignored for this long, because it’s almost been a whole twenty-four hours since Pete and Andy showed up at the cabin, and Pete hasn’t touched him once in that time, hasn’t said anything except a curt ‘No.’

Ryan Ross is used to many things, but being ignored isn’t one of them.

*

Joe can remember the last time Andy had that expression on his face. It wasn’t good. 

Patrick is pacing back and forth, wearing out the carpet that’s seen better days as Andy explains about Ryan and Gabe and Pete and The Hush. They are both tense, jaws locked, eyes wary. 

Joe muses that they look almost like mirror images. Except that Patrick is more angry than the tired looking Andy. 

“Don’t worry, Patrick. Pete is taking care of this. Ryan will come around.” Andy is saying and Joe suddenly realizes that he doesn’t believe a word of it and neither does Andy. Patrick doesn’t look at them. 

 

*

Spencer snaps at Jon.

_Because he’s not Brendon, damnit, he can’t be distracted by careful touches and hard fucks, he knows Ryan’s been gone for three days, damnit, gone with Pete, he knows they fucked up badly, all of them, even though it was all Ryan but he’s never functioned well without Ryan, because Ryan is his everything, always has been, since he was three years old and why, **why** can’t he be enough for Ryan? Why does Ryan have to go running after every damn thing that catches his eye… Gerard, the Hushies? Why can’t Spencer be enough for him, why aren’t **they** enough…_

It takes Spencer a while to realise he’s sobbing into Jon’s shirt, and the warmth rubbing soothing circles into his back is Brendon.

*

By the fourth day, Ryan’s starting to think that coming quietly might not have been such a good idea.

His muscles are cramping and sore – Andy came in once a day to let him get up and go to the bathroom, to give him a drink – and he has no idea how to handle this.

Because Ryan grew up rough, knows how to take a beating, could handle fists and feet, the crack of a belt across his back, but this?

It’s been four days, and Pete hasn’t even touched him once. 

He sits with Ryan often, but doesn’t touch him, never manages to be in Ryan’s line of sight no matter _how_ he cranes his neck, damnit.

*

It’s the fifth day since Pete and Andy swooped in and whisked Ryan away, headed for wherever. 

Jon isn’t sure how long he can keep everything from falling apart. 

Brendon is a nervous wreck, shutting himself in his room to cry miserably. 

Spencer sulks too, but then will start punching at walls, furniture, even Jon. 

He can’t fall apart because what would Spencer and Brendon do? 

So he settles for calling Joe, Andy, anyone he can think of. 

_‘Don’t worry, Jon. Ryan’s fine. Pete’s taking care of things. Everything will be all right. Just think of this as a little vacation.’_ Joe tells him. 

_‘Calm down. Everything is going fine. Ryan’s doing good. Pete and Ryan are busy, so they can’t talk right now. Just sit tight. This will work out fine. Just keep your cool.’_ Andy advises. 

Jon feels helpless. Helpless and like he’s being lied to. 

 

*

By the sixth day, Ryan wonders if maybe he’s starting to agree with Pete.

_Doesn’t Ryan see what he's done?_

_Doesn't Ryan realise the Hushies are Patrick's?_

_Doesn't he realise Ryan **himself** is Pete's? _

_What's he doing, going to Gabe, of all people?_

_Betraying Pete when all Pete's ever done is try to make Ryan better, try to make him stronger and make him a part of something special –_

*

On the seventh day, Pete sees Ryan break.

His silence has gradually given way to half-formed explanations and uncomfortable, irritated shifting in his bonds.

On the seventh day, Ryan Ross has progressed so far beyond anything he’s been so far that Pete wonders at his own ability to make people believe him. And with just words, no less.

Ryan’s uncomfortable shifting becomes a frantic straining against his bonds, trying to see Pete, trying to somehow contort himself into a position to get some sort of friction – 

_\- I know I was wrong, Pete, please, I understand –_

Tears streaming down his face but Pete’s wary, because Ryan’s pretty face has always been deceptive – 

_\- the Hushies are Patrick’s, Pete, I swear I’ll keep away –_

He’s sobbing now, great hiccoughing breaths that wrack his skinny body –

_\- and I’m **yours** , Pete, always have been and always will be –_

Pete leans forward in his seat, hoping, watches Ryan’s eyes widen as they meet, as Ryan catches a glimpse him for the first time in seven days –

_Oh Pete, oh fuck, I’m so **sorry** –_

Pete smiles, and moves toward Ryan.

Finally.


	3. Until you turned me

Andy drives him back.

Just Andy, because Pete is satisfied Ryan’s learned his lesson and is perfectly content to stay in LA pretending to work on other things.

Ryan, for his part, stays curled up on the backseat for most of the trip, a comfortable silence between him and Andy. Who’s still wary of him, Ryan’s sure, because Andy is smarter than he looks, and just because he doesn’t say much doesn’t mean he isn’t thinking.

When they reach the cabin Andy helps him out of the car, because Ryan is tired and bleary-eyed and stumbling slightly, because he’s had about twelve hours sleep total in the last seven days. Andy’s touch is gentle and light, and after he opens the door to the cabin – _because of course it’s unlocked, waiting for his return, because its occupants are never whole without him_ – he steps back, simply watching the scene that unfolds.

Ryan only has to take a single step over the threshold before he’s accosted by his bandmates, and it’s the best feeling in the world. 

Spencer’s hitting him on the arm, a muttered _don’t ever do that to me again, motherfucker;_ Brendon isn’t even _trying_ to pretend, wrapping himself around Ryan and crying softly in his ear. Jon hangs back, like he always has, giving the others room.

Ryan meets his eyes and smiles, tells him it’s okay now, and he watches as Jon collapses into the fold, sagging into a mix of JonRyanSpencerBrendon now that it’s all over, now that Ryan’s told him with three little words that _he did good, that he was the strong one and looked after the others but Ryan’s back now, so it’s all okay, Jon can be weak for a while._

Andy leaves quietly, and without fanfare, melting away into the background.

They’re all clinging to him, and Brendon is hard against his thigh, but Ryan knows some things are beyond him at the moment, and only has to yawn and mutter a _‘Tired,’_ before they’re moving as one to Ryan’s bedroom, a mass of bodies and limbs that arrange themselves comfortably over the king sized bed. 

Ryan looks at them, tucked over and under and around them, a comfortable mess of JonRyanSpencerBrendon. He yawns again, starts to say something, but Brendon covers his mouth and Spencer whispers softly. _“Sleep,”_ he says. _“We’ll be here when you wake up.”_

Ryan closes his eyes.

*

Greta wonders about Ryan Ross.

Because she is many things, but stupid is not one of them.

She knew when the moment Patrick came to see them that night that he was frustrated about something even if her boys couldn't see it, pried the truth out of him in lazy, post-coital whispers as her boys slumbered around them.

Chris had told them all about his time with Ryan. About how intense and focused he was, how for the first time Chris had found himself questioning Patrick. Ryan was all long, lean lines and intense, worshipful eyes, and Greta knows had Patrick not been in the room, Chris would have surrendered.

Secretly, Greta wonders.

She knows Patrick’s been good to her, to _them_. He took them in and was gentle, carefully making them better, helping them understand how to make _themselves_ better. He never forced Pete’s Message – _their_ Message, she corrects herself. 

But Ryan Ross is a part of Pete’s message too, right? So why then, Greta wonders, why then would he go to _Gabe Saporta_ of all people, and pledge to turn against Pete if it meant he could have _them?_ Patrick had told them all about Gabe’s basement, about the Cobra nonsense that Gabe was always talking about. Greta doesn't know whether Ryan wants _her_ or wants to take advantage of her and her boys and their music, like Pete would if Patrick didn't have them.

What makes them so special?

Greta desperately wants to know. She thinks that perhaps if she can discover what Ryan thinks is so special about them, she can use it to her _own_ advantage.

And wouldn’t she be a genius _then_.

*

Ryan awakens slowly to the feeling of multiple eyes upon him.

When he opens his own eyes, he finds that there are, in fact, three pairs of eyes watching him. Straight above him: Jon, whose lap his head is currently pillowed in. Spencer is curled up beside him, studying him intently as if he’s afraid Ryan will disappear again. Brendon’s head rests on Ryan’s thigh – on seeing Ryan’s awake, he grins lazily and snakes a hand higher up Ryan’s thigh.

He opens his mouth to speak, but Spencer moves faster. Ryan’s getting rather sick of being shushed. He doesn’t speak often, but when he does he’d rather not be silenced, thankyou very much. Ryan licks the palm covering his mouth, but Spencer just rolls his eyes. 

“We’re going to look after you,” Brendon says seriously.

Ryan thrusts his hips upward, as if to say _well, get on with it then._

They do.

They’re a mass of limbs; stroking and sliding against one another, holding on all the while as if to anchor themselves to him, reminding themselves he’s there.

Spencer fucks him first. _Because he was Ryan’s first – ever. Their whole lives have been just a succession of firsts, one after the other. Here was the first time they kissed. Where Spencer leant over Ryan, careful of the bruises his father had left, and jerked him off. Where they fucked for the first time, in the backseat of Ryan’s car._

His pace is slow and gentle, and it has Ryan bucking up, arching mindlessly for more – 

But Spencer doesn’t let him have it, goes just slowly enough to tease Ryan, pulling out when he knows Ryan’s about to come. He sits back and watches, jerking himself off, as Jon moves forward.

Jon slams into him with fast, unyielding force that has Ryan mewling _it’s like a contest, like whoever gets a concussion from the headboard first wins, and he wants more, damnit, harder faster he can take it, he can, he can_ – until he comes, but Jon doesn’t stop, keeps going just as hard and just as fast until he reaches his own completion.

He pulls out and Ryan is wet and sticky and slightly sore, but then Brendon is there. 

Brendon, who looks down at him with serious eyes as he does his best to fuck Ryan straight through the mattress. Spencer and Jon are holding his hands; one each as they sit either side of him, reaching their spare hands between them to stroke him gently, Brendon thrusting into him as far as he can go, Ryan arching up into their grip, all of them, all of them connected.

He comes.

*

The trip back is uneventful. It gives Andy time to fully collect and process his thoughts. By the time he’s back in L.A., Andy knows what he’s going to say to Pete and what he won’t. 

“Of course we’re gonna watch Ryan, Andy. But I don’t think it’s that necessary. Ryan knows he’s mine again. My work is flawless.” Pete assures him. Andy watches him through slanted eyes. Pete has become weak. He wants to believe that Ryan is still his with all his being that he’ll blind himself to the real situation. 

Andy thinks that he doesn’t want to be around for the inevitable fallout. This startles him, shakes him to his core. He’s wasted years of his life when he could have been working with the ELF, actively making the world a better place, preparing people for civilization’s unavoidable collapse. 

But. 

But it wouldn’t really be that hard to start edging out now. Pete lets him do his own thing when Fall Out Boy isn’t on tour. Pete lets him do his own thing even when they are. His finances are his own; the deed to his house in Milwaukee is in his own name. 

He’s been going through the motions of faith in Pete and their message. It’s still theirs, after all this time. Following orders, keeping his silence. It wouldn’t be so hard, not having Pete in his life. 

Siding against Pete when the assured betrayal happens isn’t an option. The last vestiges of his loyalty and dedication won’t let him, and besides, he knows what he would do to traitors, deserters, if the roles were reversed. 

So he’s made his decision. Pete is still pacing, lost in his own thoughts. 

“Everything is going to be fine Andy, you’ll see.” Pete says, smile bright. Andy is glad someone believes that. 

*

William was expecting to see Ryan at his door, he just didn’t know when. He wasn’t expecting it to happen so soon, though. 

Ryan has an unreadable look on his face. 

“I know it was you who told Pete about my conversation with Gabe.” he says, walking past William into the living room. William feels a flash of annoyance at this but lets it pass. He closes the door.

Sisky and Butcher look up from eating lunch and watching TV on the couch and head into the kitchen. 

“And what are you going to do about that, hm?” William asks, eyeing Ryan carefully. 

Ryan looks hard at him, eyes serious. 

“If I stand with Gabe against Pete, will you join us? You could bring whoever you wanted with you. But I need to know right now.” Ryan states, voice clear and steady. He’s already made up his mind, William can tell. 

William stops himself from letting his shock and amazement show, but just barely. 

Obviously, whatever Pete did wasn’t effective at all at its intended goal of making Ryan subservient again. It only made him more stubborn, more determined to have The Hush as his own. William doesn’t think Ryan will give in to Pete ever again. There’s a new fire in Ryan’s eyes. One that isn’t zealous belief. It’s still zealous, though. 

William doesn’t have to think twice. 

“Yes, I will.” He says and Ryan flashes him a winning smile. 

“Shake on it?” Ryan teases. 

“I have a better idea.” he smirks and leads Ryan into his bedroom. 

*

Ryan has always been more of a receiver than a giver, sexually speaking.

But he’s finding that there’s almost nothing hotter than to be the one pinning William Beckett down and forcing himself inside of said Beckett.

Not that it was as easy as all that, of course, because Ryan and William are pretty evenly matched and Ryan’s not sure when exactly they figured out this could be a battle too, perhaps somewhere in between reaching William’s bedroom and trying to slam each other up against a wall. 

For a single, tender moment, it’s a kiss, a sweet gesture for a moment and then it’s not, it’s teeth biting at lips and fingernails trailing up arched backs and it’s _on_. 

When Ryan takes William in his mouth it’s like he’s got something to prove, because he goes all the way down first try, doesn’t gag or choke or do anything but work his throat around William, who is pretty sure ‘Lying Is The Most Fun A Girl Can Have Without Taking Her Clothes Off’ is being hummed around his dick. When they fight themselves into a different position William lets Ryan feel the bassline of ‘Checkmarks.’

Both of them know it’s not a fight, not really, because no matter who is on top it won’t change anything, but it’s _them_ and it’s always been a struggle between them – for Pete or for Brendon or whoever.

And when Ryan is on top with William wrapped around him, both of them know that he hasn’t really won, because their pact has already been reached.

One day, perhaps, they’ll have it out, pit themselves against the other and let rip all the tension between them. In the meantime though, they’re both perfectly content to pretend fucking is fighting and have it out like that.

*

Ryan amuses himself with Sisky on his knees before him while he sits placidly on the couch, previous rage and ferocity forgotten. Ryan frowns at the clean-cut hair that Sisky decided to go with. But that all changes when Sisky really starts getting into it. 

William rolls his eyes and calls Travis. He should be up by now anyway. 

“Hey baby, light of my life. I’ve a serious question for you.” He says by way of greeting. 

Travis laughs, then - “You always have questions, sweetness,” and laughs some more. 

“If Ryan, Gabe and I were to stand against Pete, would you join us?” he says, as if they were discussing the weather. Or that the sky was blue. He can tell he startled Travis, who sucks in a breath and doesn’t say anything for a minute.

“You don’t screw around do you? Jesus. Hell yes. Count me in,” he answers and William smiles. 

“Excellent. I’ll talk to you later,” he says and hangs up. 

It’s not fair that Ryan gets to have all the fun.


	4. Like Vines

Pete is actually looking forward to this tour.

He’s dealt with the Ryan/Hush Sound thing. Ryan is right back where he belongs, with Panic! and safe under Pete’s wing. Patrick is still antsy about it all, which is why Pete lets him take a week off before their Jersey show. Patrick worries, that’s what he _does_ , but Pete knows it isn’t necessary.

Everything is settling down again, and it’ll be good to have time with William and Travie again.

Things are looking up.

*

Andy doesn’t know what the hell Ryan Ross is doing. He’s content to let Pete miss the signs, signals, coming from miles away. For all intents and purposes, it looks like a bloodless coup. But Andy is quickly and efficiently, inconspicuously working to make it not a problem of his anymore. He could care less what Ryan is doing on a good day, when he isn’t trying to disentangle himself from the virus of Pete and the Message. 

He has plans on top of plans for his tactical retreat. He refuses to say _escape_. He refuses to think of what he’s doing as running away. As betrayal. 

He regrets that Pete couldn’t keep it together enough for them to truly change the world, like they’d always hoped, planned for. 

* 

In the end, the actual _‘spiriting’_ in _‘I’m just gonna spirit them away and Pete will never know’_ isn’t all that hard.

The Hushies have a show in New York roughly a few hours before Pete is due to go onstage in New Jersey. Ryan and Gabe had talked at length about _where_ exactly they should snatch The Hush Sound, settling on New York because Ryan had insider info that Patrick was spending a week with the Hushies prior to the show, and wouldn’t it just be even more of a coup to steal them from under Pete’s nose? Also, New York was officially Gabe’s Territory. And seeing it was all part of the plan to make it look like Gabe pulled it off by himself, it worked perfectly.

The actual plan went off without a hitch; the moment the Hush Sound came offstage, security (not that they were real security, just Cobra followers who looked like the real thing and quietly ‘took care’ of the professionals) escorted them out of the building, where Gabe was waiting.

*

Greta doesn’t know where they are.

There was Gabe, then there was darkness, at first, before they woke up here.

Not that she knows where here is, though. She knows that _here_ is some kind of old compound, that for The Hush Sound _here_ is a building with rooms – lots of rooms – that are spacious and comfortable. _Here_ is also where Ryan Ross is.

This is the most confusing part for Greta. She knows that in all truth Ryan – _and Gabe_ , she thinks, because even though she hasn’t seen him since after they came offstage in New York, she heard some of the people outside talking about a Cobra - have kidnapped them, yet she feels strangely safe. She knows instinctively that Ryan won’t hurt her or her boys. 

Well, not _much_. 

*

They had discussed what was to happen, before the tour, with long phone conversations. William knew his role in this flawlessly. 

He’s not sure when the last time he and Pete have had this much sex. It might have been when he was converted, and fuck if that isn’t reason enough to side with Gabe and Ryan. 

Besides gifting Pete with orgasms, William keeps him liquored up, almost too drunk to perform. Pete has to be out of it already, to lay foundation for what will come. 

William is all too pleased to do his part. 

*

When Travis got the phone call from William, he was shocked. Of course he agreed. A sea change like that, he wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side. Too bad for Pete. 

He had some snatches of song in mind already, had been meaning to talk to Patrick about his next album. Ryan switching sides just gave him the push he needed to ask.

Travis and Patrick talk music and timing and words and rhythm all week and Travis extracts a promise from Patrick, binding him to producing the album. It serves a dual purpose: Patrick is distracted for long stretches of time after the tour and Patrick works on the album with him. 

Travis is only too happy to help William. 

*

Andy and Joe and Diashi and Matt end up talking about late 20th century philosophers. None are sure how it went from a lame joke about ‘Where’s Waldo?’ to a marathon debate of Emerson, Thoreau, Kant and Nietzsche. It lasts for days. 

Andy thinks that maybe somehow ‘Sashi and Matt are trying to distract them, but he brushes it off. Joe just continues his surprisingly articulate rant about how Husserl was an idiot. 

*

Gabe is fairly happy with his end of the deal for three reasons:

1\. He gets to go to war with Pete.  
2\. He gets to go to war with Pete.  
3\. Ryan let him play with Spencer Smith.

*

Jon knows he has to be sly about it. He thinks he’s doing well so far. 

So far he has five rolls of The Hush together, separate, in smaller pairs and threes. He is tremendously pleased by this. They looked as good on film as he had thought. 

He still wants to take pictures of them in a tangled, lust driven tableau. 

He can wait.

*

Brendon is petulant. 

Ryan hasn’t let him see any of The Hush at all since he woke up from a happy tangled pile of JonRyanSpencerBrendon in the cabin to find that Ryan and Spencer had disappeared and Jon was packing. 

Between gulps of Jon!coffee Brendon learned that Ryan had finally gone off the deep end and had kidnapped The Hush while Pete was on tour. (He later learns that the timing worked out so that The Hush were taken while Pete was on stage.) Jon had watched him sympathetically while he popped some aspirin to ward off a massive headache. 

“We’re to meet Ryan and Spencer later, at some address with an Arizona zip code. You should get packing while I load up the car.” Jon explains. 

But now that they’ve been here, wherever in the desert here is, for several days, Ryan still won’t let them interact with Panic!. They’re even in separate buildings. 

Ryan keeps saying that it’s because he wants The Hush to stop fighting him first but Brendon is still hurt. 

*

When Spencer Smith told Ryan Ross he’d do anything for him, this wasn’t exactly what he had in mind.

Because while Ryan had been _very_ serious when he told Gabe that under **no** circumstances was Spencer to have basement time, that doesn’t mean Gabe’s exactly played nice. He’s been true to his word – Spencer hasn’t seen the inside of a basement yet, but he’s not sure how fucking him, dry, in the middle of the goddamned desert is exactly going _easy_ , either.

And he’s thoroughly _fed up_ with the snake analogies.

He’s strong enough to resist the Cobra – of course he is, he wasn’t the first person to ever fall under Ryan’s thrall for _nothing_ , thankyou very much – but he’ll admit he cried and begged and pleaded when Gabe did his worst.

Gabe seems to enjoy marking up his back, dragging fingernails and sharp edges over the ridges of his spine, delights in landing the belt around the tattoo inked between his shoulders. Ryan always told Spencer he looked pretty like this. Gabe’s reaction makes him think Ryan was right.

*

Ryan takes her boys away sometimes – _always during the day_ , he explains, _because he doesn’t want to scare them_ – and it’s not like they come back _broken_ , exactly, they just come back _different_. Greta is almost afraid to see that there’s light in their eyes again, light she hasn’t seen in a long time. It makes her feel like she’s been neglecting them, neglecting them in favour of Patrick and Pete and his Message.

Because she doesn’t really feel like it’s _her_ Message anymore, and knows that Ryan doesn’t either. He’s not afraid to tell her as much, and that leaves Greta intrigued. She wants to know what that freedom feels like.

She’s seen Jon once, when Ryan was bringing Chris back – it’s often Chris, who he seems almost obsessed with in a caring, gentle way, if there ever was such a thing – and he didn’t want Ryan to leave. That was new, as well, and Greta has come to the conclusion that perhaps Ryan, with his careful touches and gentle caresses and praises _(because they’re only ever words of praise, he wants her boys to see how special they are)_ has finally cured Chris of whimpering Patrick’s name when he comes. Chris didn’t want Ryan to leave, didn’t want him to leave them again, and had held onto Ryan, who had needed Jon’s help to extricate himself from the younger man.

Chris had kicked at the door that was, for once, locked so they couldn’t get out. Because the building is always locked, but they usually have free reign within it, room to think and read and write and play music. Chris had kicked at the door, screaming his fury at being denied, a fierce outpouring of emotion that Greta thought was more ultimate realization and frustration at their lives _before_ Ryan.

Greta loved it.

She tells Ryan so the next time he comes – at night this time, and her boys are asleep, so she’s free to leave without them being worried. He takes her down the corridor, passing Cobra followers as they go – one opens the door for them and Greta nods at him politely, feeling strangely like royalty – and when Ryan wraps a shawl around her shoulders _(because it’s cold in the desert at night, Greta,_ and Greta knows he trusts her with this knowledge, this tiny hint of where they are) his touch is gentle and light.

Greta finds it strange he hasn’t tried to touch her at all. Patrick was the same, at first, found it easier to touch the boys than her, like he had to work himself up to doing it. It must be a _girl_ thing. It’s not like she herself doesn’t find her boys more alluring, more beautiful than she could ever hope to be. She doesn’t mind.

She tells Ryan so as they walk, weaving through buildings and eerily quiet surroundings, the desert pale and beautiful in the moonlight.

He actually stops her, physically, one hand on her arm as he tells her urgently that it isn’t so.

Ryan tells her it’s because she’s so beautiful, so perfect, that he’s almost _afraid_ of touching her.

“I’m not going to break,” Greta says crossly.

Ryan laughs softly. “I doubt you ever would,” he says. “And I don’t want to ever try.”

He says things about equality, then. About Pete and Patrick and how they wanted to control her and her sound. Ryan doesn’t want to own her; he genuinely wants to set her free.

Greta leans in and kisses him.

Just once, very softly, a chaste peck on the lips.

Ryan’s eyes widen slightly and she knows she’s surprised him.

“Will you help me?” Greta asks softly. “Will you help me do it?”

Ryan nods seriously, tells her he wouldn’t have brought them all the way out here, to help her clear her mind and break Pete’s grip, if he wasn’t going to help her.

“But,” he begins, and Greta has never liked sentences that began like that, “This doesn’t have to be a part of it,” Ryan says, gesturing between them, at the scant half-inch of distance between their bodies. “It’s not… you don’t _owe_ me this.”

And Greta understands. Because just as she has her own little worlds in her head, Ryan does too. Ryan longs for a time of gentlemen and respect and equality; a time that in history hasn’t ever truly existed, doesn’t even _now_. Ryan has _his_ boys, too, and they love and are devoted to him, would do anything for him, but he respects them, accepts that responsibility. Greta understands. 

They can change the world together. By respecting the kids, by treating them fairly and never forcing them, they can make it however they like.

“I know,” she says. “That’s why I’m giving it to you.”

*

William is actually present for Pete freaking the fuck out. He wouldn’t give the experience up for anything in the world. 

There’s pacing, shouting, screaming, whispering, near crying, frantic phone calls to _Gerard Way_ of all people, the whole nine yards. William finds it difficult to not laugh, to hide his glee. Difficult, but not impossible. 

All the while he plays the part of a loyal, supportive acolyte to the hilt. If Pete weren’t so consumed by his plight, he might have noticed. 

But as it is, William has front row seats to Pete’s latest near-breakdown. He loves his life. 

*

Gerard is surprised, to say the least, when Mikey shakes him awake and tells him Pete’s on the phone.

Pete is frantic, something about missing Huskies – it isn’t until Mikey has brought him his coffee and the mug is almost empty that Gerard realises he’s talking about _The Hush Sound_ , Patrick’s kids, and that they’ve apparently been kidnapped, _because **really** , how do you **lose** a band? _

He’s not heard much about The Hush Sound – he’s listened to their album a few times, but mostly he’s just gotten word of them from Patrick, or Ryan.

 _Ryan._ Gerard reassures Pete he doesn’t have The Hush Sound hidden away underneath his bunk, that, _yes_ , he’ll call Pete if they magically appear there, and hangs up. Pete is sure Gabe has something to do with it all, that he’s taken the Hushies for some unknown reason. Gerard doesn’t doubt Gabe’s involvement, but he knows there’s more to the story somehow.

Ryan answers fourth ring, and Gerard gets straight to the point.

“There had better be a good reason for all this.”

Ryan is silent for a moment, before he launches into an excited and lengthy explanation of ‘rescuing’ Greta and Bob and Chris and Darren and how wonderful they’re gonna be and how he set them free and they’ll be amazing and Pete won’t know what’s hit them.

 _Fucking hell,_ Gerard thinks. _It’s too early for this shit._

He interrupts Ryan, tells him he’ll stand with the kid if push comes to shove, _and he better know what he’s doing getting involved with Gabe Saporta because Gerard will **not** fly halfway around the world to eviscerate Gabe_ – again – _especially this early on a Sunday, and he’s going to sleep now, and if Pete rang Gerard then he’s obviously calling Ryan next, so be ready, okay?_

Then he rolls over and puts a pillow over his head.

*

Ryan wasn’t particularly surprised when Gerard called him and gave him the heads-up.

All it did was give him a timeframe. He has Gabe’s people pack up all their shit and pile everyone into the waiting cars, gives Jon the job of driving Brendon and the Hushies back to Panic’s cabin. He’s told him to keep them separate – Brendon’s sulking but he’ll obey, and spends the entire ten hours or so on the drive back indulging in little more than a discussion with Darren about the merits of Pixi Stix. (Which, given the fact that it’s _Brendon_ , still manages to be vaguely sexual, but he tries his best, honest.)

It takes Ryan a good half-hour to get Gabe to finish with Spencer.

When he does, though, Ryan has to help a limping Spencer curl up in the backseat of the car. Greta climbs in with him and places his head on her lap, and when she runs her fingers through Spencer’s hair Ryan can practically hear his best friend _purr_. Ryan rolls his eyes, because Spencer might be slightly battered and bruised but his eyes are clear and focused, and he’ll be well rewarded for his time with Gabe.

He and Greta spend the drive back making plans – together. It turns out Chris is nearly as good an actor as Ryan himself, which they plan to use to full advantage. Bob, Greta tells Ryan, has always had a crush on Spencer. 

Ryan can imagine Spencer’s expression as he hears that, though he can’t see and Spencer’s pretending to be asleep, and agrees with Greta. It’ll be nice to have someone to worship Spencer for a change. 

Ryan muses for a second on the way they all seem to have inherited Pete’s paedophilic nature – they all seem to have a weakness for boys who look pretty on their knees.

Maybe it’s what drew Spencer to Ryan in the first place.

Ryan calls Pete.

*

Pete is furious.

He fumes the entire way there, and when they arrive he is the first out of the cars, the first to climb the steps to the cabin.

Ryan is waiting on the porch, and when Pete explodes at him, he flinches and looks down against the tirade of words being thrown against him. Things like _how dare you_ and _explain_ , even though Pete’s not giving him a chance to.

Patrick has rushed inside, and Pete soon follows, Ryan trailing behind him. The Hush Sound are curled together on the couch, looking slightly scared but no less worse for wear. They’re making room for Patrick on the couch and Greta is talking to him softly, and Pete is satisfied for the moment.

He rounds on Ryan, only to find Ryan’s disappeared.

Andy, who’s been behind him and watching, as always, points him in the direction of the bedrooms. Pete storms off.

When he finds Ryan, he stops.

Ryan is crouched on his bed next to Spencer. Spencer, whose eyes are red-rimmed and voice is hoarse as he replies. They both look up at Pete as he steps into the room, though Spencer is quick to look down.

“I had to give him Spencer,” Ryan says softly, eyes wide and imploring. “I had to give Spencer to Gabe to get them out.”

Pete looks at the angry red welts and scratches down Spencer’s back, the bruises on his hips, and his anger dissipates slightly. He knows what Spencer means to Ryan. That Ryan is prepared to sacrifice _Spencer_ in order to get The Hush Sound back is comforting to Pete.

“I know I should have told you sooner,” he continues, “When Gabe first called me, but I wanted to make sure I could get them out, that I wouldn’t fuck it up.” Ryan looks down. “I’m sorry,” he whispers.

Pete makes Ryan show him just how much.

*

Ryan is sobbing literally at his feet. 

There is a litany of _‘should have told Pete sooner, just wanted to make sure the Hushies could get out okay, because Gabe is a scary motherfucker, yes he is, and Ryan's not as powerful as Pete, who can make Gabe bow to his will...’_

Pete knows that Ryan is his, now and forever and forgives him the small transgression of not telling him where The Hush were, because Ryan _found_ them, brought them _back._

Pete knows that Patrick is still freaking out, still wary of Ryan. 

But he sees Greta smiling demurely at Patrick as he leans in to caress her cheek, finger running along her jaw. Pete decides that The Hush are fine. Ryan has done well. 

*

When Greta assures him Ryan didn’t hurt them, that he _saved_ them, that nothing happened, Patrick believes her. 

On the way back to LA, in the back of the car, Patrick remembers to ask if Ryan _touched_ them. Greta says no but Chris looks down and away.

Later, when they’ve stopped for gas and food in the middle of nowhere, Chris confesses.

“I sucked him off,” he admits, voice breaking on the last word. He’s crying softly, and Patrick reaches for him almost instinctively, wanting to keep him safe, wrapping his arms around him. “I kept him away from Greta,” Chris says, a note of almost pride in his voice, even as he sobs. “I did my best.”

“I’m proud of you,” Patrick reassures him, pressing a kiss to the boy’s head.

The Hush Sound are back where they belong, relatively unharmed, and they have done him proud.

That’s all that matters, really.


	5. We Intertwined

Joe looks tense. Ryland and Sisky make uneasy eye contact. The three of them don't want to be here at all. William could care less what they think. He's enjoying this. 

Gabe and Pete pace and yell and hiss things about _'agreements'_ and _'betrayal'_ and _'I should've known'_. William thinks it's the best thing since Pete's near- breakdown. He wishes he could’ve brought popcorn, but he thinks that’s too obvious.

There's more yelling, breakable objects start flying and William feels like he's hit the jackpot. 

Finally, everything stops and Gabe stalks out, Ryland following. 

William sighs and he and Sisky help Joe and Pete pick things up. They leave shortly after that.

*

Ever since Ryan ‘rescued’ The Hush from Gabe, Joe has seriously begun to doubt Pete. He can’t believe that Pete could be so wilfully blind. He _knows_ in his gut that something isn’t right about the way it happened. But he will hold his tongue.

Andy has been studying him lately, as if he were some sort of weird chemical or mathematical equation that no one had ever solved. It sets Joe on edge. 

There are some moments when Andy looks as if he didn’t buy a word Pete was saying about Ryan that makes Joe wonder, though. But they quickly pass. He won’t end up like Elisa or the countless scene kids who couldn’t accept Pete’s message, his salvation. 

_(He doesn’t remember that he received Andy’s message right alongside Pete’s.)_

*

Greta and Ryan stay in almost constant contact.

If they aren’t on the phone, it’s an email or a text message, little lines of conversation weaving a web between them, back and forth as they discuss the future.

The main problem is how to go about it.

Greta and Bob come to him secretly, because Pete still thinks that he has control of the situation. Still has packed the deck. (But Ryan has tricks of his own, oh yes. Never was a gambler in his youth, but now he is.)

Panic! Is still at the cabin, working, refining, creating their next album. They lost valuable time with Ryan’s obsession, Pete’s punishment, kidnapping The Hush. 

They come in, faces obscured by the gathering darkness. 

Jon gives them some chai tea as they sit, perched on the main couch. 

Ryan chats with them about touring, other bands, some politics and midway through praising The smashing Pumpkins’ musical genius, Greta interrupts him. 

“We want you to produce our next album.” She says, voice clear and concise. Bob looks at him speculatively. 

Ryan is inwardly startled and tries not to show it. 

“Of course. I’d love to. When would you like to start?” he assures, and he realizes that he’s won. 

He has Panic!, has Brendon, Jon and Spencer, he has The Hush, he’s free from the yolk of Pete and his weaknesses. 

Ryan’s thankful that Greta handles Patrick – she lets him down easily, because he is after all busy with Gabe’s new album and producing the new album for Gym Class Heroes, so it’s not like she doesn’t have a reasonable excuse. Ryan himself has worked on mixing stuff before, layering tracks and effects and scoring the first Panic album, so it isn’t as if he doesn’t really know what he’s doing. 

Not that Greta is hard to produce, exactly, because she’s just all vision and wonderful, wonderful music and subtle lyrics that don’t try to manipulate your brain. They _encourage_ you, _lift_ you up and _teach_ you, without ever forcing it upon you.

Ryan leaves the studio each day with his heart a little lighter.

*

It’s odd, Patrick thinks, doing this sort of thing for Cobra Starship. Letting the music speak to him, surround him. But it’s not so different for anyone else's album he’s ever produced. They people are just crazier. 

It’s all part of the truce that Pete and Gabe arranged, an end to the constant war between them. Patrick won’t let Pete down, not when Pete needs him most, not when it’s just them left. Not since Andy and Joe disappeared, went away. 

But the music itself isn’t that hard to do. The slow piecing together of thought and sound to create something powerful and new. That is nothing strange or odd to him. And maybe if Patrick makes the message a little muddied, well that can’t be helped, not when Gabe doesn’t even notice it. 

*

Travis was genuinely thrilled that he had roped Patrick in to produce his next album. 

And hey, if it kept Patrick’s attention away from Ryan and The Hush while Ryan coaxed them into trusting him, letting him get what he wanted, well then that was just a pleasant side effect. 

He liked Patrick, thought he was a genius when it came to sound and placement and other highly technical things that escaped most musicians. He thought he was funny, tactful. Travis feels sorry that Patrick will lose everything because of Pete. It’s just how the dice rolled. 

*

At first, Greta doesn’t know what to do with herself.

For a single, split second, she’s lost.

Then she sits down at the piano and it all comes flooding back. Her secret language. The language of music. How she can use it to create myths and legends and worlds that no-one else can touch, that no-one else can understand. She is a princess locked in a tower, a valiant and brave heroine, an ancient goddess ruling over peoples long forgotten. 

Except now she _wants_ people to understand. She wants to share her world with everyone else. She wants to use her music to captivate and inspire people. To open their eyes.

It takes them a while to get it together at first, to get them all working in harmony once again; until they’re one beautiful melody of GretaBobChrisDarren once more.

Together they are able to weave beautiful music, entwining melodies and beats and vibrations like vines. They’re perfect once more.

*

When Ryan plays Gerard a rough cut of the new Hush Sound album, Gerard is proud. Then slightly unnerved, then amazed, then unnerved again.

He decides he must meet this Greta for himself.

He can say for certain Pete never realised what a fucking _goldmine_ he had on his hands with Panic! – Ryan Ross and his unique brand of genius are now building a following that might rival his one day. Gerard feels strangely threatened. Perhaps it’s the way Greta and Ryan are going about it – where Pete and Gabe were all about control, Ryan and Greta are all about freedom, about leading the kids to better lives, to better _selves_.

Gerard can see the genius in this. He himself never forces the kids to take his Message. Granted, he may make it a bit hard to ignore, but he doesn’t force them. He _appreciates_ them, accepts the responsibility they hand to him when they give their lives over to him.

He calls Ryan.

*

Gerard is not happy. 

Ryan looks at him from over his coffee cup. 

“Ryan, I’ve come here today because I have a problem. A problem I suspect many of our … associates are having,” he begins, hoping. Watching for ticks, little things that will give Ryan away. 

Ryan quirks the ends of his mouth up in a faint smile. His eyes are bright and glittering, full of life. Being free of Pete’s hold has been good for him. 

“Let me guess. You listened to the new The Hush album and now it’s messing with your sound?” Ryan cheerfully supplies, just on the edge of his monotone. 

Gerard takes a dainty sip of his tea. Ryan could be so old fashioned sometimes. 

“The only advice I can give you is to never listen to their music again. Go back to your roots; listen to Morrissey and The Smashing Pumpkins and The Cure again. Hell, even your old stuff. Your sound will possibly find its way back. I’m telling you this because I like and respect you.” Ryan advises. 

“How is it that they’ve changed so much?” Gerard inquires, eyes wide and searching. 

Ryan smiles fully this time. 

“Ah, but that would be telling. I will say that Greta has found her stride.” Ryan states, watching him closely. 

“I want to speak with her. I don’t want a war or to lose my sound any more than I already have.” Gerard says, staring straight back. He won’t back down from this. 

“We shall see.” Ryan allows and Gerard is led out by Jon and Spencer. 

*

William is hanging out with Travis when they first hear it. 

_It_. The new sound The Hush has. 

_It_ terrifies him, and he can tell Travis is just as wigged. 

_It_ is primal and melodious, raw and powerful, sensuous and deadly smooth. _It_ is beautiful and captivating, and rattles his own sound, the sound that’s always in his head, guiding his music. 

They look at each other, faces pale and sweat slick from just _listening_. 

It doesn’t take a genius to know what to do next. 

They pledge allegiance to Ryan and Greta; William on his knees in front of Ryan, Travis on his knees in front of Greta. Their sound is forever changed, even though they don’t listen to anything The Hush ever puts out again. Ryan and Greta understand. 

*

After being denied Greta for so long, having her suddenly is kind of a shock to Ryan.

What’s more, she’s willing and inventive, perfectly happy to share her boys with his, to let them all writhe together in a pile of cute and fucking _hot_. She’s fun, and up for nearly anything.

 _Why weren’t we doing this earlier?_ He asks her once, after, as they lie sprawled together. 

_I don’t know_ , she says seriously, and Ryan traces the line between her brows as she frowns. _Maybe we should do it again to make up for it._

Ryan laughs and arches up to meet her.

Surprisingly, Ryan’s favourite activity is to watch Greta and Brendon together. Well, not _watch_ , exactly, because having Spencer Smith try and suck your brain out through your dick while the scene plays out before you with the two of them twined together, a study in contrasts, is not exactly non-involvement.

*

Gabe likes the new sound.

He’s not sure how successful it’s gonna be, but _hey_. Not his problem.

Cobra Starship have an awesome new record, and Gabe needs to focus on that. The Cobra will protect him from any possible threat Ryan and The Hush Sound throw his way, so Gabe’s not worried.

Though, if Ryan really is going to follow through with the plans he’s made, Gabe won’t have any reason to be.

*

Ryan isn’t really surprised when Gerard tells him he wants to meet Greta.

And he trusts, instinctively, that he’s not going to try and eviscerate her, because their approach is very similar to his own. In fact, it had been his time with Gerard that had first opened Ryan’s eyes to a new way of doing things. Looking back, he can see the idea growing and formulating in his mind ever since.

When he introduces Gerard to Greta – they meet in Ryan’s new studio, fairly neutral territory – they are both polite and make small talk until Greta has had enough.

“Ryan helped me find my sound,” she says. “It’s something we’re working on together and I think it can be bigger than all of us.”

“Our goals aren’t necessarily mutually exclusive,” Gerard replies. “I have The Black Parade, and we can help you.”

“We don’t _need_ your help,” Greta says carefully.

Gerard nods, and replies exactly like Greta would. “I know,” he says. “But I will help you anyway, and you will help me in return.”

Ryan thinks it’s a good start.

He excuses himself, heading out for coffee. He finds Mikey Way in the nearest Starbucks, and thinks _of course_ , because Mikey is never far from his brother’s side. Ryan knows they’re close.

Mikey grins when he sees him, whole face lighting up, and Ryan is seized by the sudden desire to capture the expression forever. Or at least make it occur again.

“Have they killed each other yet?” Mikey asks.

“Not yet,” Ryan replies, sitting down across from him. “I think they’re calling a truce.”

“Oh good,” Mikey says, studying him. “I’d hate to go to war with someone like you. I have a weakness for pretty faces.”

Ryan tries not to grin at the fact that Mikey Way is flirting with him.

“So do I,” he replies, smirking.

When he returns, hours later, Gerard and Greta are still deep in conversation. A weaker woman would’ve been reeling, but Greta is strong even in the face of Gerard’s intensity, and Ryan knows he’s not doing it on purpose. Gerard just gets carried away sometimes, so involved in his vision, his Message.

 _They make a good pair in that respect_ , he thinks.

Mikey enters the room behind him. “Gee?” he asks, and his brother turns immediately. “We’re gonna head off to indulge in… uh, more _creative_ endeavours while you two brainiacs bond.”

Mikey loops a casual arm around Ryan’s waist and Ryan matches Gerard’s smirk. “You kids have fun,” Gerard says.

Mikey waggles his eyebrows. “You too.”

Ryan laughs and drags him out of the building.

*

Gerard finds Alicia next to the destroyed CD player with the rough cut of the new Hush Sound album. Beside her is two bottles of poison, one big, one small; one meant to make you forget and the other to take away the pain. Gerard thinks that today, she managed both.

He is the one to break the news to Mikey.

Mikey, who sits shocked and dry-eyed when he hears, identifies the body as that of his wife the next day in a monotone, buries her with no expression on the third.

It’s only later that he breaks down in Gerard’s arms, crying and pleading and maintaining that it’s all his fault. Gerard has never seen his brother so completely broken, gets Frankie to share their bed that night so Mikey can be cradled between them as he sobs.

A day later Gerard receives news footage that would have aired had he not had acolytes in high places. He calls Ryan who arrives within the hour and talks to Mikey for hours, not touching but simply talking, giving Gerard a chance to watch the tape. It shows a ranting Alicia rampaging through a shopping complex, screaming about voices and messages -

 _Get out, get out while you still can, don’t listen, my God they’ll fuck with your **head** , it’s too much, can’t take it anymore_ – 

Gerard realizes as the camera follows her that she’s collecting the tools of her destruction. It seems almost methodical, planned, would be if not for the screaming and the crying.

Gerard is saddened by this. Perhaps if she had come to him, instead of venturing outside to clear her head, she would be alive. He always feels for the ones they can't save the most. The kids Bert fucked with, the boy Gabe killed. Alicia.

Gerard vows to never let it happen again. He will use this new sound to make sure.

*

Being on the road is familiar, especially now that he’s driving. Before Fall Out Boy hit it big, he would drive most of the time. Now when he and Joe are fleeing more than a mundane existence in a cubicle, it is comforting. 

They stop for the night at a ratty motel along the highway. Andy pays for the room in cash. 

They are tense around each other for a while before Andy finally gets fed up, grabbing Joe’s face, forcing him to look Andy in the eye. 

“Look, the message was just a way for Pete to gain power over people; I thought I could use it to change the world. My bad. I’m sorry he raped and mindfucked you. I’m sorry I didn’t stop him,” he says in a rush. “We can let that destroy us or we can let that make us stronger. I still want to change the world. Are you with me? ” 

Joe studies him hard and then attacks him with his mouth and they fall to the floor. Andy grins, feral and wide and lets him. 

In the morning, Joe has a crick in his neck and Andy is sore in new and unexpected places. 

They take some time to lay low, get away from the world. It’s a vacation of sorts. 

Then Andy and Joe head back to Milwaukee. Andy looks up old friends in the ELF who still remember him as the ecoterrorist prodigy that made them the most successful cell in years. He easily regains his leadership position, Joe as a close second. In all senses of the phrase. 

They become the Bradjelina of the ELF community, turning into nice, domestic ecoterrorists. 

*

Pete doesn’t understand how this happened.

One minute everything was _fine_ and _perfect_ , the next, Ryan had turned against him, Will and Travis had followed, Gabe had told him to fuck himself, Alicia was dead and Gerard wouldn’t stand beside him anymore.

Even Andy, his ever-loyal drummer who had been there since the fucking _beginning_ , had deserted him. Even Joe, one of his first converts, had left him. 

Pete suspected something when all of the major bands on Decaydance simultaneously bought themselves out of contract – _and here Pete suspects Gerard’s involvement, because there’s no way Ryan could have come up with that kind of money all on his own_ – only to sign immediately with some small indie movement called MorteHope, that no-one had even _heard_ of.

People do hear about it, though, when they find out it’s co-owned by Ryan Ross and Greta Schulpter and that Gerard Way has signed My Chemical Romance to their label as well.

Pete doesn’t understand how this happened, and he tells Patrick so, Patrick who holds him and comforts him and tells him _it’s all gonna_ be okay.

*

Mikey likes Ryan. 

He feels guilty, for liking someone so soon, after Alicia.

Because instead of home with her he was off with Ryan, that day when she played the Hush Sound album and couldn’t take it. Gerard tells him that Alicia would want him to be happy, and Mikey believes him.

Ryan gives him time, doesn’t push him, is simply _there._ It’s new.

Ryan is different from anyone he's ever had sex with outside of the band. Ryan's not like Pete at all, because Mikey knew that Gerard and Pete were just using him to reach an unsteady truce. Ryan, though. Ryan is different. Gerard is making his own alliance with Greta and doesn't need him to act as a go between. Ryan is with him because he wants to be.

And what's more, Ryan goes to his knees without Mikey having to ask, doesn't except Mikey to suck him off. 

What's more is that they are finding they have so much in common. What's more is that maybe Mikey loves him a little. What's more is that Ryan feels the same way.

*

Patrick is just as surprised as Pete when everything comes crashing down.

Though, in hindsight, he can look back and see the unravelling.

When everyone walked away from Decaydance, from Fueled By Ramen, Pete fell apart. Broke down, whatever the fuck you want to call it. Joe and Andy left, the new Hush album came out and the kids all of a sudden stopped listening to Pete, stopped buying the album and Clan merch, in favour of listening to this new label, something about death and hope and new beginnings.

Quietly, Patrick thinks it’s the best thing that ever happened to him.

Because when it all fell apart, all Pete had left was Patrick.

From then on it was just the two of them. Patrick got into producing again – making music, real music, for no-one but himself and the bands and the audience – for the pure joy of making music.

Eventually, Pete and Patrick decide to find themselves another drummer, another guitarist, and they hit the road. The two new guys have no idea about the Message that used to drive Fall Out Boy, and Patrick likes it that way.

For the most part, Greta and Ryan and _MorteHope_ leave them alone, and FOB become just a little band with a little bus – Patrick tries to keep Pete away from vans these days – and they just drive around playing music.

Patrick’s actually kinda proud of Greta and Ryan, of the empire they’re building themselves.

The night MTV broadcasts the first show of the new _MorteHope_ label tour _‘The Awakening,’_ Patrick sneaks downstairs to watch, leaving a snoring Pete in bed. (He sleeps better, more, now.)

The music sends shivers up his spine and though Patrick can hear the Message plainly in the chords and lyrics, he doesn’t feel threatened, and marvels at the feeling. Panic! At the Disco and The Hush Sound, his protégés, his _kids_ , have found a new, unique way to affect people. They are the next generation, carrying the music movement forward. So different, yet somehow still ultimately the same.

Patrick is genuinely happy for them.

Because Pete has lost everything – everything except Patrick. And now he loves Patrick, more than ever. He’s devoted to Patrick because Patrick _stayed_.

And that’s all Patrick ever wanted, really. For Pete to be as devoted to him as he was to Pete.

*

_Time is never time at all_  
You can never ever leave without leaving a piece of youth  
And our lives are forever changed  
We will never be the same  
The more you change the less you feel 

*  
William and Travis easily slip into the crowd when Panic! comes on. No one notices them. 

They're still uneasy, but after they pledged their loyalty to Ryan and Greta, they have confidence that everything will turn out alright. 

In the seething mass of kids and the loud, thumping, sea change sound, they hold hands against the tide.

*

_Believe, believe in me, believe_  
That life can change, that you're not stuck in vain  
We're not the same, we're different tonight  
Tonight, tonight, so bright  
Tonight, tonight 

*

Gabe realizes as he watches from sidestage that he may have made a very dire mistake.

When he helped Ryan snatch the Hush Sound, he has no idea they’d work _together_ , combining forces to become this… this – _movement._

He’s suddenly very glad he abandoned Decaydance and accepted Ryan’s offer to form his own imprint of _MorteHope_ , _Cobra Inc._ If Ryan and Greta think he’s with them, it will make spreading the Cobra a lot easier.

He’ll have to watch out for Gerard though, because he’s apparently in league with them now, and Gabe’s learned his lesson there. He shivers and unconsciously flattens a palm over his torso.

Gabe will have to be more careful from now on, but the Cobra won’t desert him. He’s still strong.

*

_And you know you're never sure_  
But you're sure you could be right  
If you held yourself up to the light  
And the embers never fade in your city by the lake  
The place where you were born 

*

Gerard Way is extremely glad his siren song called to Ryan Ross that night.

Because if it hadn’t, if it hadn’t prompted Ryan to meet Gerard, have Gerard explain his vision, his way of imparting the Message, Gerard might not be standing here today.

As he stands sidestage on the first show of the ‘Awakening’ tour, sweaty and hot from a just-finished set that was one of the best he’s ever done, he’s very glad he’s here, watching The Hush Sound grace the stage.

Greta’s new sound still unnerves him sometimes, because though he recognizes the power of his own Message, he also knows how easy it is to get lost, especially around such influences. He watches Mikey whisper – no doubt _dirty_ – things in Ryan’s ear from behind as they watch Greta onstage, trying to get Ryan all hot and bothered before he goes onstage.

Ryan merely smiles, batts him away.

Mikey says something to Brendon, taps Spencer’s shoulder and then they’re backing Ryan up, just into the shadows at the side of the stage, Ryan pressed back against Jon’s chest. He’s struggling slightly, but he’s not really trying to get free, and his boys know what he needs. Brendon is kissing Ryan, and Spencer’s unbuttoning his shirt and biting across his chest as Mikey drops to his knees. Gerard feels perversely proud of his little brother’s skill as Ryan gasps and leans his head back on Jon’s shoulder.

Gerard grins and turns back to the stage. They’ll make it quick, he knows they will. Frankie is hot and hard beside him, but Gerard shushes him, because there’ll be plenty of time after the show.

This, he wants to see. The Hush Sound are on fire tonight, Gerard’s awed and proud and a little unsure, but he has faith in what they can all do. 

Together.

*

_Believe, believe in me, believe_  
In the resolute urgency of now  
And if you believe there's not a chance tonight  
Tonight, tonight, somewhere  
Tonight, tonight 

*

Greta stands beside Gerard to watch as Panic! At the Disco take the stage.

She witnessed the true beginning tonight, as their bands played one by one, informing the kids in the crowd of the change in power. The cameras are broadcasting their new Message to the world.

Greta takes Gerard’s hand as they watch. Together, they will all be unstoppable.

Greta has always defined herself through music. It is how other people define her to themselves.

As a child, they always called her a genius, a prodigy, able to weave beautiful music, entwining melodies and beats and vibrations like vines. Greta smiles to herself.

They don’t know the half of it.

*

_We'll crucify the insincere tonight (tonight)_  
We'll make things right, we'll feel it all tonight (tonight)  
We'll find a way to offer up the night tonight (tonight)  
The indescribable moments of your life tonight  
The impossible is possible tonight (tonight) 

*

Ryan Ross has never known a more perfect moment.

He stands onstage and looks out at the sea of kids before him, raising their arms to embrace the new sound. They’re smiling and they’re _happy_ , and Ryan thinks he knows how they feel.

Greta and Bob and Chris and Darren were _amazing_ tonight. Greta had truly looked like a goddess onstage, with her boys around her. But the kids didn’t bow, they _sang along_ , and Greta had smiled down at them, looked across at Ryan, and Ryan had felt _truly_ happy. 

Ryan and Greta have most of the former Decaydance bands signed to their new label, _MorteHope_. Will and Travis support them wholeheartedly, but refrain from listening to the new sound if they can help it. Ryan understands. They performed earlier that night, and Gabe followed. Gabe, who has his own imprint these days, under MorteHope, and though he’s still rebellious now and again, can be controlled.

When Panic! takes the stage they work flawlessly through their new set. Ryan’s fingers fly over the fret board and Spencer is perfectly on beat and Jon has this beautiful smile on his face and Brendon’s voice is _amazing_. 

They’re singing a cover to close the show, but it’s one of his favourite songs of all time, and the sound just works and they're doing their own thing for the first time in maybe forever and it's brilliant and amazing and he glances offstage and Gerard is smiling and Greta's face is happy and shining and it's just _perfect_.

*

_Believe in me as I believe in you, tonight,  
Tonight, tonight, tonight, tonight_


End file.
